Day of Action Takes on Verizon Greed
March 20, 2012
On Thursday March 22, thousands of IBEW and CWA members, along with community, student and faith allies, will be rallying across the country to challenge Verizon’s corporate greed in a national day of action.Worksite rallies and public leafleting are among the many actions planned to bring attention to Verizon’s anti-worker, anti-consumer behavior. Says Boston Local 2222 Business Manager Myles Calvey, who, as chair of the T-6 Council, represents IBEW members at Verizon throughout New England:
Negotiations between the telecommunications giant and more than 45,000 IBEW and CWA workers remain deadlocked, with Verizon putting the same package of givebacks back on the table – including eliminating the company’s pension plan, giving management more leeway to outsource jobs and dramatically increasing health care premiums and deductibles – that led to last summer’s strike. Workers from New England to Virginia struck for nearly two weeks last August to protest the company’s draconian cutback demands and refusal to bargain in good faith. The IBEW and CWA called off the strike after Verizon agreed to extend the expired contract pending further negotiations. Most galling about Verizon’s demands, say activists, is the news that the company made record profits in 2011, raking in more than $2 billion, while using tax loopholes to get out of paying any corporate income tax. Thursday’s day of action will also focus on pushing Congress to pass the U.S. Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act. As we wrote about the legislation in February :
Click here to find an action in your area and follow events on Twitter with the hashtag #verigreedy.
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